2024-03-24 05:54:42
After nine races of Red Bull dominance and as many victories for Max Verstappen, Ferrari returned to Formula 1 success on Sunday. After Verstappen was eliminated following just a few minutes in Melbourne, the Scuderia even achieved a one-two victory thanks to the Spaniard Carlos Sainz and the Monegasque Charles Leclerc – the first since Bahrain 2022. The Briton Lando Norris in the McLaren came in third, teammate Oscar Piastri Australia came fourth.
“We have it!” Sainz shouted over the pit radio. “Life is a rollercoaster. Life is unbelievable sometimes,” said the 29-year-old following missing the race in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago due to an appendectomy. He therefore recommends that everyone have their appendix removed, he joked.
“It was a really good race, physically it wasn’t the easiest, but I was mostly on my own so I was able to control the pace and the tires,” analyzed Sainz following his third victory in Formula 1 following Great Britain in 2022 and Singapore 2023. “Carlos had an incredible weekend coming back from his operation. He drove a great race,” said Leclerc. “Carlos did a better job all weekend and deserved the win.”
Norris was satisfied: “I’m very happy and proud of the team. We almost had Charles. I think our pace was better, but he beat us with the undercut in the first stint.” But it is still another step towards Ferrari and Red Bull for McLaren. “We have to catch up, but it is clear that we are getting closer.”
World champion Verstappen had to quit the Australian Grand Prix following just five laps due to a technical problem. The Dutchman, who started from pole position, won the start, but lost the lead on the second lap to Sainz, who overtook him shortly before turn 9. Even then, Red Bull, which had seemed indestructible for so long, apparently had a problem. Verstappen complained that he had “lost the car” before smoke appeared from the rear right brake area.
“There’s smoke, blue smoke, fire. Fire,” he reported over the team radio. Verstappen gradually lost speed and returned to the pits, where the crew quickly put out a fire and the 26-year-old got out of the car. It was Verstappen’s first retirement since the Albert Park race two years ago. And with that, his season-long winning streak was stopped.
“We can see in the data that the right rear brake was already stuck at the start,” explained the Dutchman in the interview followingwards. “Of course the temperature kept rising. So I was basically driving with the handbrake on, and that’s why I had the feeling that the car was really strange to drive in some corners.”
Victory now seemed to be on the table for Sainz and Ferrari, especially since Verstappen’s potentially fast teammate Sergio Perez mightn’t get away. The Mexican only started from sixth position following a penalty. Sainz dictated the pace at the front and drove several fastest laps. Hot on his heels was his stablemate Leclerc, followed by the McLaren.
On the 17th lap, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who will drive for Ferrari from 2025, also said goodbye to the race. The race management activated the virtual safety car for a short time following the Brit’s engine failed, but this had no decisive consequences. After a violent impact from Hamilton’s stablemate George Russell, the race also ended during a virtual safety car phase.
Perez only finished fifth, Fernando Alonso was sixth in the Aston Martin. Behind Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls), the two Haas drivers Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen also scored championship points. In the overall standings, all is well with Red Bull: Verstappen continues to lead, Perez is second.
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